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Thursday, July 11, 2013

The World of Designing With Computers

Careers in Computers and Information
Technology

Careers in Designing

It is true that the profession of
designers has come a long way in the last decade. It has received public
recognition firstly as a part of our economic and cultural life and secondly as
business, or design industry. However, one can still perceive formidable
challenges for those trying to pursue a career in design. The contribution of
'industrial' designers is not as widely known as it should be. The reasons for
this are that most people are familiar with engineers and architects as people
carrying out more challenging design based activities. Industrial design,
however, refers to an activity that has to do with products and objects that
are used to fulfill practical functions. It is impossible to dissociate the
term design from the term manufacture.

In design it is the application of
creative and artistic skills to a practical end. Designers work within
technical, manufacturing or budgetary limits but ensure that, the design serves
the purpose it is intended for. Designers work to a brief, but they are
creative people who must be left to develop their own genius. Nothing could be
further from the truth.

Design is divided up into a number of separate areas:
Graphic design and Textile design are two dimensional while three-dimensional
design includes industrial design, product design, fashion and jewelry design,
interior and furniture design, exhibition and theatre design, etc.

Graphic design originated as design for the printing
industry - books, posters, magazines, but has expanded into other areas and it
now includes photography, film and video, and all kinds of visual
communications.

Textile design relates in particular
to manufacturing industries.

While artists and designers skills are
alike, artists work shows self-expression while designers work is aimed on
problem solving and practical tasks. Designs of products, environments and
systems aim at the customers ' needs in terms of comfort, aesthetics,
efficiency, safety, reliability, economy, etc. Designers often have to put
restraints on their creativity as they work towards deadlines. Professional
designers need to be creative but the amount of creative or original work they
can be involved in varies. It is essential that designers have technical
knowledge appropriate to their discipline, and commercial awareness of markets.

Areas designers work in

Design finds application in a number
of different fields. Industrial designers develop and design products like
cars, home appliances, computers, medical, Office or recreational equipment,
children's toys, etc. Designers combine their artistic talent with research
they do on product use, marketing, production methods, and materials to create
the most functional and appealing design and to make the product competitive in
the market.

Graphic designers work in visual
communication design. They work through print, drawings, pattern, photography
or a combination of these. Graphic designers work for ad agencies, in printing
and publishing, commercial packaging, design research, TV and film companies
etc. Fashion designers design apparel and accessories. Fashion designers may be
self-employed and design for individual clients. They make fashion trends by
establishing the line, colors, and kinds of materials that will be worn each
season. Others cater to high fashion department stores. They design original
garments as well as follow the established fashion trends. Most fashion
designers, however, work for apparel manufacturers, adapting men's, women’s, and
children’s fashions for the mass market. Textile designers design fabrics for
garments, upholstery, rugs and other products, using their knowledge of textile
materials and fashion trends. Other designers may be working as even exhibition
designers, craft designers, etc.

Interior designers plan space and
furnish the interiors of private homes, public hotels and theatres.

They develop designs; prepare working
drawings and specifications for interior construction, furnishings, lighting
and finishes according to the clients' needs and tastes. Interior designers
plan spaces that meet accessibility standards for the disabled and elderly
also.

Set designers design movie, television
and theatre sets. They study scripts, discuss with directors and conduct
research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

PERSONAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF DESIGNERS

Industrial and visual communication
designers must be creative and artistic with a good imagination.

They should be able to think in a
clear; logical manner, analyze problems and come up with original solutions.
They need visual imagination and should think in three-dimensions. They should
be able to express their ideas through drawings. They should have numerical
ability to enable them to calculate dimensions, etc. They must be capable of
intricate and detailed. work for drawing and constructing models good color
sense, appreciation of aesthetics and sensitivity to ergonomics (the study of
the relationship between people and their environment).

Designers should be amiable, good at
communication and should be able to get on well with colleagues.

Skills in persuading are necessary to present ideas and arguments
to other members of the design team.

THREE DIMENSIONAL DESIGNS

This category of design encompasses a
wide range of materials and industries. It is concerned with products, objects,
things. In 3-D design there is craft or studio based design, and there is
industrial design.

Industrial Design

Product design/ceramic design/furniture design - In manufacturing industry, traditionally, the engineer who
designed the working parts of a machine also designed its exterior and, without
any art-based training, did so more or less according to the shape and size of
the product's parts and the demands of the manufacturing process.

Rapid growth in consumer spending and
growing competition for sales led manufacturers to see the possibility of
designing products which not only look good and can be sold on appearance, but
can also be more efficient and convenient to use.

Increasingly now, designers are
working with design engineers to produce designs for goods, keeping in mind the
appearance of items, convenience, safety, efficiency and ease of maintenance.
New development in design have also been possible because of technological
developments and new materials, e.g., metals, plastics, rubbers, etc, are more
flexible for the designer's needs.

Craft
design - Designers have technical knowledge of relevant handicraft or
manufacturing processes, for example firing, decorating, carving, inlaying,
molding, engraving and glazing. They work for designing of ceramics (ornaments,
tiles, etc), jewelry, silverware, metalwork and pottery, glass (glassware and
stained/architectural glass) and furniture. Design is usually for
mass-manufacture, or possibly for production through traditional methods by
designer crafts persons.

Designers may work with potters and
jewelers to create products that have a wider appeal and a more competitive
pricing. Some work for the film and advertising industry, making anything that
is required for the purpose of creating a special effect. In addition to being
visually creative craft designers are their own technologist, production
manager, marketing expert and salesman, book-keeper and buyer.

TWO DIMENSIONAL DESIGNS

Visual Design

Graphic design/animation design-Graphic design is really the design of communication and has
developed considerably from the days when it was known as commercial art.
Graphic designers work with print, pictures and patterns on flat surfaces. They
'layout' words and pictures on pages for books and magazines, in
advertisements, posters, sales brochures, product packaging, TV program title
sequences, and the sides of mobile vans.

The aim of graphic design is to
effectively communicate information through visual means. It is a broad heading
covering a number of different disciplines.

Typography is an essential element of
all fields of graphic design. Specialized areas are lettering and calligraphy. Most
illustrators concentrate on specialist subjects, e.g., fashion, nature or
cartoon. Many designers specialize in particular skills or in types of media;
for example, magazines or TV technical illustration work for scientific,
medical or engineering subjects, for reproduction in manuals and text books
demand precision. Animation is based entirely on drawings which, when
photographed, produced a three-dimensional impression.

Basic knowledge of printing and
image-producing techniques is essential. Designers must know how to use space,
color, lines and shapes. The work is as much technical as creative. Designers
have to understand the technicalities of printing processes, photography, color
reproduction, type with all its varied fonts, sizes and weights.

More and more of the everyday work of
the graphic designer is done on computer system.

NATURE
OF WORK

Industrial Design/Visual Design/Graphic Design

The activities involved in
three-dimensional designing begin with design research. Designers work on
briefs from the marketing department who research what the customers want and
which designs will sell. The designer may work on modifying existing products
or parts of products, rather than creating wholly new ones.

The designing process implies the
application of creative talents to produce rough sketches to outline ideas,
keeping the design within available production capabilities. The designers then
selects the shapes, colors and materials for products keeping in mind the
functional aspect which must suit the lifestyles of customers and ensure
product efficiency.

Designers use technical knowledge and
liaise extensively with other experts to ensure feasibility and
cost-effectiveness. Designs may have to be modified and adapted a number of
times before they are acceptable. Technical constraints may often compromise
the original concept for a product. Once designs in the form of rough sketches
have been approved by management, detailed working drawings are prepared.
Computer aided design (CAD) systems may be used. Accurate models of products
are also made for testing. In addition to supplying production staff with
working drawings showing exact dimensions etc, the designer may have to provide
written instructions. The designer should be available to solve problems
relating to adoption ensuring that the end product; as far as possible,
conforms to the initial brief and agreed requirements.

EMPLOYMENT AVENUES

A large number of designers working in
industry and commerce are working in graphics/visual communications. Many of
them specialize in one particular field such as advertising, publicity, and
packaging. The main areas of employment are as follows:

Advertising - Graphic
designers may specialize in poster work, preparing lay-outs, TV advertising,
shop display, etc. Normally graphic designers work in teams of two in ad
agencies. The team has an art director and a copy writer. Their skill is in
originating ideas which promote products in imaginative and existing ways.

TV film and video companies - Graphic designers design opening titles and credits. 'They may
illustrate in animation or for educational program. This field of work is being
increased by the spread of more and more sophisticated computer animation
systems. The principles of animation are the same, but new technology allows a
designer to put together sequences of movement much more rapidly.

Publicity materials- Another and
less well-known side of the advertising industry concerns designing of
brochures which describe products to potential customers or a whole variety of
give-away material; carrying the company name, logo and slogan.

Illustration -
Illustration is a specialized area of graphic design that concerns the drawing
and painting of images that will appear alongside text in a book, poster or
magazine. An illustrator gets briefed by the editor on the kind of style
required and the subject matter.

Photography - Photography
will be dealt with later in this section but it is as well to realize that
photography is just as much a part of graphic design as illustration. It is
simply another way of producing pictures, and freelance photographers, who want
to work in publishing or advertising, build their career in exactly the same
way as illustrators.

Basic Training Program

The foundation year (1st year)
involves an introduction to the basic skills and conceptual abilities necessary
for a designer. Inputs during this year include freehand drawing, geometry
(plane and 3D), model making, and introduction to materials, color, graphic
composition and design process. Taking off from a theoretical base, the
emphasis is on learning through actual practice, experience and exploration of
media and phenomena. At the end of the first year, students are given their
streams for specialization based on their preference and aptitude, and their
performance during the foundation year.

Specializations

• Product design - The
product design program aims to produce professionals who can handle design and
development of products of both industrial and small scale sectors (e.g.,
consumer goods, automobile, packaging, etc.). Students are exposed to real and
simulated work conditions in the form of projects in which they demonstrate
their learning, application of theory and their creativity and innovation.
Theory courses include technical drawing and illustration, engineering
materials and processes, technical sciences, ergonomics, photography, computers
and model making, along with assignments in form, space and aesthetics. The
major projects include simple product design in plastics, control-display
interface design, techno-aesthetic detailing, lighting, packaging, electro
mechanically complex product and systems design.

Furniture design - This
discipline involves the design of furniture for different domestic or
commercial applications and can be extended to the design of system furniture
and storage devices, structures and exhibitions. Some of the theoretical
courses in furniture design are shared with product design. Some specialized
inputs include furniture technology, wood and metal joinery and prototype
making. The major projects include simple furniture design (wire products),
outdoor furniture, and craft design, folding furniture and system design.

Textile design - Textile
design involves the design of printed and woven surfaces for applications like,
garments and apparels, furnishings and interiors. Students are introduced to
various techniques of surface design and decorations, fabric structure and
construction and are also given practical experience in weaving, printing and
dyeing methods in both craft and industrial sectors.

Visual communication - This
programmer aims to turn out professionals who can communicate through a variety
of media in different sectors that might need their services (like social
developmental communication, advertising, film making, corporate presentations,
print/publishing, etc.)

Some of the important courses in
visual communication are elements of composition, layout and typography, letter
design, color, photography, illustration, DTP, printing technology, packaging,
symbol design, exhibitions and elements of video, animation and audio visuals.
After the third year, students of communication design take up major projects
in areas like graphic design, video programming, animation and exhibitions for
specializations.

TEXTILE DESIGN

Textiles and yarns are of many kinds and
are used for making garments, furnishings, 'carpets, towels, lace, net,
embroidery, etc. Fabrics may be woven, knitted or printed. Designers specialize
in designing fabric for men's suit, ladies' dress or furnishing fabrics.
Textile designing is a very technical subject today as a combination of methods
is used. The Indian textile designer today has become prominent in the world
market as he has skillfully blended the traditional textures and dyes the
modern market needs.

Creative ability and good technical
knowledge is essential. The textile designer must have knowledge of yarn
making, weaving, knitting, dyeing and finishing processes, including the
knowledge of different types of looms, knitting machines, printing processes
including block, stencil, roller and silk-screens.

NATURE OF WORK

Textile designing involves design
research. This involves an understanding of what the customer requires and
which designs are likely to sell. Fashion and design trends are important and
so are popular colors, yarns etc. Trends in the trade have to be forecasted
since a product may take a year sometime to reach the market. Having studied
current trends of fashion, designers apply their creativity to produce designs
to suit the market. Rough sketches are used to outline basic ideas.

The designer takes into consideration
the use of the fabric, its durability, weight, texture, etc. Sketches are
transferred to detailed technical specifications, to be put on machines, looms
or printing tables. The specific construction of designs is presented on graph
paper or through CAD (computer aided design) systems.

Technical translations are used to
produce samples of cloth. The designer works in liaison with technicians and
technologists, making necessary adjustments to the designs. The design manager
and sales and marketing staff select samples from the range for the market.

It is vitally important for textile
designers to keep a breast with the market through trade fairs and visiting
clients. Effective presentation, of their work determines the overall success
of the design or the designer. Designers may be involved in adaptations and
modifications relating to the color, price, after designs are sold.

PERSONAL
CHARACTERISTICS

Designers are creative people and very
talented. They have a flair for the work they do. They have a good eye for
color and ability to work with details. Innovativeness is essential. Designers
should be fashion conscious and able to anticipate customers' requirements.
Technical knowledge is a prerequisite. Designers need the ability to
communicate effectively and should be able to persuade and influence people.
Since the work is as much concerned with selling as with creativity.

EMPLOYMENT
AVENUES

Textile designers have scope for
employment with' textile manufacturing industries. They also work with cottage
industries, small scale industries and as entrepreneurs, with a growing market
for exports of textiles, textile designers find employment with export houses
as well as large scale industries catering to the national and international
markets. Many textile designers work as free lancers offering their designs to
various industries.

ADVERTISING

Advertising involves the process
wherein a message is designed so as to promote a product, a thought, an idea or
even a service. The concept of advertising has assumed a dynamic form with the
use of the various mediums of communication. From the newspapers, magazines,
posters, neon and fluorescent signboards, billboards to the commercials on TV
advertising has come a long way. The work is formidable as it spearheads
process intended to attract, modify, change and influence public opinion. From
the local business to the multinational firm all need to advertise. While
politicians, social organizations, government special groups need to advertise
their motto, national airlines, automobile manufacturers, food and consumer
goods manufacturers have to reach the consumer. Styles for advertising vary.
Specialist products and services are often advertised through trade magazines
and exhibitions. Lately mail-shots, handbill circulation, special offers have
become every popular. There are still other ways of advertising. There are
window displays, display on telephone directories, transit signs on buses,
rickshaws, lamp posters, banners, etc.

Advertising, as an effective medium,
uses a variety of techniques to create effective advertisements. A basic appeal
is at the heart of advertising. Slogans and product characters are created
to catch the attention of the viewers. Most winning advertisements would
encompass factual information with emotional appeal. The advertising industry
has three rnajor sectors. The business or organizations who wish to advertise
the media who provide the medium for advertising and the ad-agency which
creates the ad to suit the needs of the firm.

The description of the process which
an ad goes through in its creation and the people who make this possible has
been described in the next section.

NATURE
OF WORK

The link, between the client who
wishes to advertise and the media where the ad appears, is the ad agency where
the ad is created. Various skills are required in the preparation of an ad-from
identifying the purpose of the ad and the clients need, the identification of
media, the creative inputs, to the verbal catch phrases all needs skill and
expertise. Hence the people in an ad agency are specialists. They are the
Account executive and the Account planner in the client servicing departments,
the media executives and planners who buy space in the media and the creative
executives or the copywriters and visual producers who create the ads.

Accounts
Executives

In advertising 'the account' is the
client. The business of each client with the agency is referred to as an
account. An ad agency handles assignments of a number of clients. A client's
business is assigned to a team of people from the ad agency with the Account
Executive at the head of the team. An Account Executive may be handling the
business of a number of non-competing clients at the same time. The Account
Executive supervises his team of people drawn from all departments while
planning, scheduling and executing the assignment.

Before a campaign is launched research
on the client’s business methods, the product to be advertised is made. With
this background information there is a meeting of the creative media and
marketing divisions along with members of the client's team. The objective of
this meeting is to define the use of the product, and the target users as well
as other competing brands. After all the information is assimilated the agency
team prepares a draft brief with recommendations. These are presented to the client
by the Account Executive. The brief and budget are discussed and after finalization
the work begins. The Account Executive motivates guides and coordinates the
activities so that deadlines are met and the client’s expectations become a
reality.

He spends a lot of time keeping the
client updated on the progress. The Agency's Director too has to be kept
informed. This is done directly in smaller firms but in larger firms there may
be an Account Planner or Director.

Account
Planner/Director

The Account Planner is the main
planning executive who works in partnership with the client on long term
account planning. He knows what is happening in the market place, the attitude
of the consumer towards the client's as well as the competitor's brands.

Media
Executives

The main task of the media executive
is to place the advertisements where they will be seen by the right target
audience keeping the budget in mind. Hence this job requires planning, research
and buying space in the press or time for commercial radio and television. In
large agencies this task may be allocated to ~ two or three different
specialists. There may be media planners and media buyers. In small agencies
the task may be handled by the same person.

Media planner has access to up-to-date
information about each advertising medium. This includes the readership and
circulation figures for newspapers and magazines, viewing figures for different
times of the day, listening audience figures for commercial radio stations,
etc. They are also aware of the various locations for hoardings and bill
boards.

Working on the brief from the media
executive and using some or all the above media sources, the planner creates a
detailed media plan, showing which media are to be used, when, and the costs
involved in each for each medium to maximum appeal for the target group. It is
through the selection of the right media that a good media department can save
large advertisers money as well as give credibility.

Media buyers buy advertising
time./space-for the agency's client. They work closely with the media planner
if the two functions are often carried out separately.

Television and newspaper advertising
are expensive. The media buyer's expertise is in negotiating the best possible
deal for the client. The commercial breaks with the most viewers are the most
expensive and so also the newspapers and magazines with the highest circulation
figures. There is severe competition for the most popular slots. Hence besides
a lot of negotiating, the job entails detailed record keeping of transactions
and calculations to ensure that a campaign stays within the stipulated budget.

Creative
Copywriter and Art Director

Copywriting and visual art work go
hand in hand and this is the work which goes on in the agency's creative
department. The real ad is created here by the creative team. Briefs from the

Account Executive outlining the target
group for the advertisement and information about the product, followed by
discussions with the account planner, along with research material, and perhaps
a meeting with the client put the creative department to work.

Copywriting involves providing words
which are read or heard in advertisements. This may include slogans or jingles
or detailed text for catalogues, brochures, leaflets and journals. Copy writing
also takes the form of scripts for television and film commercial advertisement.

The essential skill of the Copywriter
lies in interpreting and understanding the mind and needs of the target
audience and the characteristics of the product. They must identify what it is
that would make people want or need the product being promoted. The Art
Director and the Copywriter together then work on an idea that should catch the
attention of the public and put the selling point of the product across. Many
ads are discarded, reincarnated and created. The final product is a team effort
of the copywriter and art director with each having suggested alterations to
the other.

The more successful creations are then
shown to the creative director who in turn may suggest further modifications.
Final drawings are then produced and shown to the client. Once-the client
accepts the concept the layout is modified and the details filled in. The
design and copy is sent to the production team for typesetting, photographs and
drawings for printed advertisements or filming for television commercials.

Ad Agencies may have their production
team which includes Photographers, Printers, Typesetters, Television Producers,
etc. But since the work is very diverse most ad agencies coordinate with
freelancers or established production units for the task to be completed.

WORK
ENVIRONMENT

Ad Agencies are based within office
settings. Accounts Executives, Account Planners, Media Executives, Art
Directors and Copywriters spend most-of their working time in agency offices. Account
Executives have to travel extensively, visiting clients and suppliers. While
staff, travel occasional to attend meetings with clients, or visit locations
during film production. Ad Agencies are very busy places and often work is on
till late hours.

PERSONAL
CHARACTERISTICS

People in the accounts or client
servicing, i.e., the Account Executive, Director and Planner need to be adept
at negotiating. The ability to communicate easily is vital. They face the
challenge of competing in the market with other agencies; hence need to have
drive determination and tremendous physical and mental stamina. Sensitivity to
consumer behavior, trends and human nature are important for success in
advertising. They should be able to assimilate the client’s requirements and in
a lucid style prepare briefs for other departments. The ability to get along
with others and get the work executed by all departments is specially required.

Media Executives, Planners and Buyers
must enjoy working with others in an integrated team. They should be able to
interpret and absorb a great deal of information.

Media buyers spend most of their time
negotiating over the telephone to buy space or time. Attention to detail is
needed and they should be able to keep a careful record of all transactions.
Numerical ability is needed for keeping to the budget allocated.

The creative people need a good visual
ability, language/artistic skill. Copywriters require literary ability but an
interest in commercial success which comes from understanding what motivates
the target audience is important;

Writers must be able to work, to a
strict brief, within restricted space and in limited time. Advertising must
follow legal requirements and rules hence considerable creative self-discipline
is needed. A feeling for words, economy of style and imagination are needed.

The Copywriter works with the art
director, and the creative director. The work can be very frustrating
particularly when an idea is rejected by the art director or amendments made by
the creative director and the client. This can often restrict the imaginative
capacity of the copywriter. The openness to stand criticism is absolutely
essential.

TRAINING

The client servicing is generally
handled by post graduates in Business Management. The job needs business
skills; hence graduates from any stream with some training in business
administration are generally preferred. An advertising qualification too is
useful. The creative people, particularly the visualizes, i.e., the Art
Director and his team are selected from Art Schools or Design Institutes.

Bachelor of Applied Art course teaches
the prospective creative artist the use of mediums like photography, graphics,
and visual communication. Courses in Mass communication are also useful. Media
Planners and Buyers have to be acquainted with the various mediums, price, etc.
Courses in management, advertising, marketing, public relations are useful for
this department.

The production people come from Art
Schools and film and TV Training Institutions. The field of advertising is open
to students who have passed from Art Schools, Management Schools, Design
Schools, and graduates from reputed institutes with a rich co curricular record
and those from advertising courses or mass communication courses. Here you will
find courses in Advertising. Readers can refer to the relevant courses in the
areas mentioned in other relevant chapters of this book.